HaberkipThe acting financial senator of the Hanseatic City was nominated as a successor for Olaf Scholz. The Hamburg SPD presidency is to go to social Senator Melanie Leonhard.

SPD: Peter Tschentscher becomes first mayor of Hamburg

The acting financial senator of the Hanseatic City was nominated as a successor for Olaf Scholz. The Hamburg SPD presidency is to go to social Senator Melanie Leonhard.

The head of Hamburg SPD has nominated financial Senator Peter Tschentscher as new first mayor. This was shared by outgoing head of government Olaf Scholz, who still holds SPD presidency, after a meeting of Provincial Board of Governors. The appointment will be confirmed at an SPD party congress on 24 March. The party's board of Directors has opted for Tschentscher, said Scholz.

The nomination of Tschentscher may have surprised some city hall observers: SPD Bundestag group chief Andreas Dressel was considered a favourite for office of first mayor for several days. According to a report by Bild newspaper, Dressel had expressed concerns that his family situation with three young children would not allow such a job. Now he is to inherit Tschentscher as a financial senator.

The 52-year-old Tschentscher is regarded as an experienced financial expert. Toger with incoming federal finance Minister Scholz, he contributed significantly to fact that red-Green Hamburg Senate pursued its goal of a balanced budget. As spokesman for financial ressortchefs of SPD-led countries, his word also has a nationwide weight, at present he holds chairmanship of Finance Ministers ' conference.

After meeting of SPD regional board, Scholz announced anor personality: social Senator Melanie Leonhard will follow him as new chairman at head of Hamburg SPD.

Olaf Scholz, who has been Hamburg's first mayor since 2011, will be sworn in as federal finance minister and vice-chancellor in a new grand coalition next week.